INVOLVE (UK National Advisory group)

INVOLVE (UK National Advisory group) (known as INVOLVE) is a national advisory Group, funded by the Department of Health, that promotes public involvement in health and social care research. Established in 1996, it was originally called "Consumers in NHS Research". It expanded to cover public health and social care research in 2001, and changed its name to INVOLVE in July 2003. The current Chair of INVOLVE is Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of The Terrence Higgins Trust.

Organisation

INVOLVE has three working groups and one main group. The working groups are called 'Empowerment', 'Evidence, Knowledge and Learning' and 'Strategic Alliances'

The main Group reports directly to the Department of Health and deals with issues around public involvement in research and development. It also makes recommendations to the Department of Health on how to improve and strengthen public involvement in research.

The working groups each have their own area of responsibility:

• Strategic Alliances is responsible for developing and promoting alliances with key groups including the public and researchers to promote public involvement in research.
• Empowerment is responsible for ensuring that people who are affected by NHS, Public Health and Social Care research have the opportunity, and are able to have an active role in all areas of research.
• Evidence, Knowledge and Learning is responsible for developing, gathering, disseminating and promoting the existing information and knowledge around public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research.

External links

• INVOLVE web-site: http://www.invo.org.uk/